Brazil is South America's leading gold producer, while its diamond production ranks seventh in the world.
Peru's chief export is copper (in addition to silver, tin, and iron), yet it's gold industry, second only to Brazil's, began resurgence in the mid-90s buoyed by foreign investment.
In 1996, an especially rich seam of ore was discovered that led to the country becoming the world's eighth largest gold manufacture in 1998.
In 2000, it was the seventh, with the industry expecting continued growth due to long-term investments.
In August of 2000, the Peruvian government fined South America's largest goldmine $500,000 for a mercury spill that poisoned dozens of Andean villagers.
Chile leads the world in copper production.
In 1996, private and state-run mines produced a combined total of 4.7 million metric tons of refined copper with additional mining projects going into operation that year.
By 2000, Chile's copper, gold, and silver production reached an all-time high.
In Venezuela, where gold reserves represent approximately 10% of the world's total, future production rates are expected to grow rapidly thanks to massive investment.
In 1998, Indians near Caracas initiated a protest against planned mining operations in their territory; they'd been promised previously that the area would not be mined for gold or diamonds.
A diamond mine began operations in the Venezuelan state of Bolivar in 2001, with expectations of becoming South America's second largest diamond mine.
Argentina was expected to be among the world's top 20 gold producers by 2000, according to government projections.
